2019-08-24 - The Addington Dilemma

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Captain de la Vega paid me a visit today. Seems he was tipped off that we, or I, visited the Addington residence the other day.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Wait what? Did he mention who might've said anything?

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : No, it's an ongoing investigation, something he likes to remind me of. So he can't reveal his sources. He actually tried to read me. That's my only guess. But I believe nothing came of that.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Still, he knew that I wasn't at the Addingtons for festival sponsorship or to give my condolences to the family.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Did he say why he wanted to talk to you, specifically? He and Alexander are friends, if he wanted information about the meeting, he could have always just talked to him and I think at this point Captain de la Vega would know that he'd be more forthcoming. So why you?

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I was honest and forthcoming with him regarding the Stone Bridge incident. Then again, he's accepting or knowledgeable of the weirdness of this town.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : He is. He's rough, and he's brusque, but I've faith that all he wants to do is the best he can with the cards he's given and he can't do that without information. If nothing else, I'm thankful that he's pursuing the leads he does manage to get, considering how strange the entire affair is.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Bella, I told him that Thomas Addington may have been possessed into carrying out those murders. I then told him to not act rashly with that information. I... trust that he won't.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : How did he react to that?

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : He asked if we needed assistance in delivering Addington to the Facility. I asked him if he even knew what the Facility was. He did not.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Did you tell him?

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I then told him that I was not touching the Addington family with a 10 foot pole if I could help it, when it comes to delivering Thomas to the Facility. And I'll leave that to other Addingtons.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I don't even know what the Facility is. I just told him that it's a place that he'll probably be unable to find.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Between you and me, I'm not sure whether we can leave them alone there, either. Especially considering where it is. Things can go so wrong in the Veil, B. If Gohl's hold on him is getting stronger, he might not even get there.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I am out of options to suggest. I believe you were sending Erin to speak to him?

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : I am. We could use the additional information if we could get it. There's also another avenue. Alexander managed to get in touch with Dr. Minerva Kosimar, who's an occult expert. She's offering to see if she can contact Gohl's spirit.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : That sounds risky. Gohl seems like he'd be more dangerous than Melissa.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Infinitely, but she and Alexander would like to try, and he's a Baxter, so maybe he'll be more forthcoming if more family are present.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : That's, of course, the most optimistic view I can think of regarding the situation, but at this point I don't know if Erin will be successful and this is the only way that's been presented to us so far in getting to the actual source of all of this, however biased he may be.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : How were you feeling at the Addington's? With Margaret's pointed accusations at the Baxters.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : Well, I can attest to the fact that the generations of Baxters I have access to don't hold much animosity towards the Addingtons, but they don't know much beyond a certain point of our history, either. This is the most I've discovered about the family line. As for what I feel, I'm skeptical - at this point I'm sure both families are guilty of SOMETHING. What with that photograph of my ancestor presiding over what looks like a witch burning in a time and place so far removed from when those were still taking place in a way they were executed, and the fact that the Addingtons seem to be aligned with the Dolorphage or whatever the shadow men are.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Why do you say that?

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : There's a theory that asylum is a place where the shadows are fed and the fact that the Addingtons don't just know about its existence but the fact that they can commit people there voluntarily speaks of some knowledge of its inner workings. That theory's from Alexander though. I haven't asked him what he actually knows about the shadows.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : So trying to summon Gohl's ghost and trying to contact Thomas Addington through Erin. If neither of those amount to anything, do we just him be committed?

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : I wish there was a way we could make sure he DOES get committed without it going wrong. But I don't know if there's a way to do that without stalking the Addington caravan in an extremely dangerous place. And I'd rather we not go into the Veil unless we absolutely have to.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : That was the sole reason I asked Margaret Addington whether she was willing to have our group there when they take these measures. To make sure nothing goes wrong.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Captain de la Vega offered to help. I'm not surprised that he, or anyone else, would want to work to end this once and for all.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : If he wants to, and if there's no choice but to go in there ourselves and mitigate whatever disaster might happen, I think we should take him up on it. The man's a warrior. If there's going to be a fight, I'll take that for our corner any day. But we should see if any of our current endeavors pan out first before we think about the next steps.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I don't know much about him, if I'm being honest. If he's trustworthy. Why he's keeping tabs on me, even if he says he's not. But yeah. I mean, he has a lot of information at his fingertips through police files and the like. I'm sure that and learning about things over police radio and things of that nature, his cooperation may come in handy. Even though he's asking someone like me to feed that information to him.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : He IS a cop, Ronnie. It's his job to keep tabs on persons of interest. And I feel as if he's world weary enough to recognize that there's shit in this town that's too weird even for him, but he feels dutybound to do the best he can anyway. I don't know if he's completely trustworthy - he's the sort of man who'll always go his own way, and I know that deep in the marrow of my bones because I hang around with enough of you to be able to tell. 😉 But I think he's a good man and if he wants to help, I say we let him.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : I think you did the right thing, honestly. Being upfront with him.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : I told him not to do anything rash. I doubt that he'll go after Thomas Addington himself.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : If he goes after Thomas Addington, I don't know if he'll see him coming. Maybe he could, he and his sister have the potential in spades. But I know very well that the man can handle a sniper rifle easily.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : If that happens, I wash my hands of any of it.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : It isn't as if this city isn't teeming with cover-ups and secrets already. Ugh, alright. I should get back to work. I'd tell you to get some rest, but I know you better than that. See you at the paintball game this week?

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : I'll let you know how the seance goes.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : You know what I'm going to say, Izzy. Here it goes anyway: Be careful. I'm be looking forward to hearing from you and beating your team at paintball... unless they put us on the same team. Then it sucks to be the other guys.

(TXT to Isabella) Byron : Sweet dreams.

(TXT to Byron) Isabella : ::laugh emoji:: Me? I'm always careful. 😉 In all seriousness, though, I will. I'll try, at least and I won't be alone. You too, B. You be careful also, and I'll see you then. Maybe we can even relive the glory of our high school rivalry in full. Goodnight.